Kearra’s experience
My host family experience has been a memory that will be unforgettable. I attended and learned about many of the holidays and celebrations such as their Independence Day and Día de Virgen del Carmen. Though it was hard to get used to staying up late at night, my sister always took me out to parties which made the time I spent out late very fun. We couldn’t always understand each other, but we made a huge effort regardless of those complications and ended up with a strong bond that will stretch across continents.
GG’s Experience
Coming to an end of my host stay adventure, I spent my last day with my family. We had asado as our last meal, and moments after, I taught them how to play an authentic Mexican game called “Lotería”. After the game was over they showered me with gifts, hugs, and tears of joy. They shared many memories with me from our the 10 days together. My host family and I developed an amazing bond and shared many stories of our culture, such as legends, politics, history and of course, the food. This moment was not a “goodbye,” but a “see you later” to my host family.
Brandon
For the last ten days in Chicoana, I found the true meaning of family. I started out a little awkward towards my family with a fake smile when they spoke to me in Spanish. My Spanish is only somewhat understandable if I tried. Throughout the 10 days in Chicoana, we explored the mountains and famous landmarks around the area. As we shared many fun activities together as a family, we began to connect more, and this made me less awkward than I was before. By the end, I felt like we were family, bonding every second, bringing happiness to each other. If this is not what families are made for, then what is family? I want to bring this experience back home to my own family to share even more happiness.